Oolite Bulletins

Yep.. Dizzy has succumbed to the Dark Side.. my very first OXP.

A couple of days ago, I was engaged in a hectic dogfight with a Random Hits mark and his henchmen, and finally managed to take him out. I was being heavily set upon by his cohorts, and failed to notice the Q-Bomb he'd launched just before dying. By the time I recognised the expanding BlueSphere'o'Death, it was far too late to do anything about it.

Thus was born my determination to make an OXP that would not only put a message on the screen, but would sound a siren to make sure I was aware of impending doom, in time to do something about it.

I studied (and adapted) the code in the Missile Analyser and BGS, and did a lot of reading of the Oolite Javascript Reference. Then followed plenty of hair-tearing moments with the Debug Console.

48 hours later, it's done. It works, and works well.


The Detector is available at systems of TL10 and above. The cost is Cr 5000. It should work with Oolite 1.73 and up.

(It can come as a bit of a shock, the first time the siren goes off, as you're usually not expecting it. I suggest people play the siren sound -located in the Sounds folder of the OXP- once or twice to familiarise themselves with it beforehand. That way, valuable seconds aren't lost while the player wonders "What on Earth is that horrible noise?" )

Update: Version 1.2 released. Implemented Wildeblood's simplified detection code for pre-1.77 and added code to use the new this.cascadeWeaponDetected function if running in trunk (and 1.78+ when released).

Update: Version 1.3 released. This is a minor update, in which the plist files have been converted from XML to NeXTSTEP. If you already have 1.2 installed, there is no need to upgrade.

Update: The OXZ version (1.79+ only) has been uploaded to the Wiki. Now, the 1.79 OXZ Manager will be able to download and install the Detector directly from the Wiki. If you wish to manually install the OXZ version of the Detector, see the Wiki page for the link and instructions.

Update: Version 1.4 released. This is a minor update, to make the OXP/OXZ compliant with OXP Best Practice Guidelines. If you already have 1.2 or 1.3 installed, there is no need to upgrade.

Download Link

 Wiki Page

Neat Dizzy - I always hated that last fleeting attempt to get me after I whack a Random Hit . I learned my lesson quickly about that, and now I look out for that orange blip on my radar after I dispatch a villain to the vacuum of space, but I think it'll be a fun addition to my OXP folder . Thanks!

Now that is a really useful bit of kit to have! Great work Diziet Sma

CommRLock78 wrote:

Neat Dizzy - I always hated that last fleeting attempt to get me after I whack a Random Hit . I learned my lesson quickly about that, and now I look out for that orange blip on my radar after I dispatch a villain to the vacuum of space, but I think it'll be a fun addition to my OXP folder . Thanks!

Me too.. but if you miss it, even for a second or two, you're history.. talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! And the taste of ashes in your mouth just when you're feeling so good about succeeding. Hence this OXP.

Geraldine wrote:

Now that is a really useful bit of kit to have! Great work Diziet Sma

Thanks.. I already have plans for additional features & options for 2.0. Looks like they're right.. once you turn to the dark side..


But first, I have to go make a Wiki page.

Diziet Sma wrote:

Yep.. Dizzy has succumbed to the Dark Side.. my very first OXP.

Welcome to the Coven

Diziet Sma wrote:

Yep.. Dizzy has succumbed to the Dark Side.. my very first OXP.

<waves at Diz in passing as he returns from the dark-side>

Smivs wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

Yep.. Dizzy has succumbed to the Dark Side.. my very first OXP.

Welcome to the Coven

Thanks! <looks around> Um.. I was led to believe there would be cookies?

Diziet Sma wrote:

I was led to believe there would be cookies?

There is, but we're just waiting for the legal dept. to draw up the disclaimers and T&Cs

Cookies? Doochy Originals, I would hope! Mmm!

Congrats Dizzy .-)

<makes note about another player got lost in the depth of OXPing>

Thanks, Svengali.. It was the q-bomb code in BGS that finally got me onto the right track for detecting the mines.

Why exactly does it require the Missile Analyser?

Umm.. it seemed like a good idea at the time? (I was kinda brain-fried by the time I got it working consistently, to be honest - almost 24 hours of no sleep)

Rough handwavium I had in mind is that it uses the analyser technology and database to determine if objects in question might be a mine. I'm certainly open to arguments as to why it should be independent of the MA. I can see how, since the scanner identifies a Q-Mine instantly, it should perhaps be regarded as simply an extension of the scanner itself.

If others agree, it's an easy change.

Personally, I already have the Missile Analyzer installed... Nothing but the best for Sic Vita Est.

So do I.. it's an essential part of the AMS, which I wouldn't be without. But the more I think about it, it does make sense that it would be a standalone item, basically an extension of the scanner..